Puzzle lock-box



(No Model.)

E. W. MERSEREAU.

PUZZLE LoGK BOX.

Patented Dec. 19, 1882.

N. Ferias. nomumngmmr. wmingmn. D. c

` UNITED STATES v ATENT FFICE.

EDGAR vv. MERSEREAU, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PUZZLE LOCK-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,306, dated December 19, 1882.

Application filed June 26, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR W. MERsEREAU, of the city ot Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a newr and Improved Puzzle Lock-BOX, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to small l boxes which are adapted to contain matches or other articles, and the covers of which are locked by devices hidden within the box, so that persons ignorant of their construction will ind it very difficult to Open. them.

My invention consists essentially in the combination, in a box, ofa cover and a body, which are pivoted together, and are adapted to be u nlocked by a longitudinal movement of one part, so that the lid maybe turned relatively to the body, one of said parts having a slot which receives the pivot and a recess orcountersink in its outer side, and in the bottom of which the slot is formed, a cap on the pivot having in its inner side a correspondingr recess or countersinkfand a locking-disk adapted to iit wholly in either recess or countersink and bearing with its edge against the pivot. When the box is locked the disk rests in the recess or countersink in the part having the slot, and by bearing with its edge against the pivot and covering the slot prevents the part having the slot from being moved longitudinally relatively to the other part. When the box is to be unlocked, if the recess or countersink in the cap is not opposite the recess or countersink in the part having the slot, and wherein the disk rests, it is brought opposite the same by turning the cap, and the box is inverted, so as to allow the disk to fall into the recess or countersink in the cap, whereupon the part having the slot is moved longitudinally relatively to the other part to unlock the cover from Ithe body, and the cover is swung on its pivot to uncover the box. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a plan of a box embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the box. Figs. 3 andetrepresenttwo end views of said box. Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal section with the box in an inverted position. Fig. 6 represents a plan of a box of slightly-modified form, also embodying my invention; and Fig. 7 represents a longitudinal section of the box shown in Fig. 6.

Similar letters of reference designate the same parts in all the tigures.

Referring lirst to Figs. l to 5, inclusive, A designates the body ot' the box, which may be made of wood, and B designates the cover. At one end the two parts are connected by a pivot, C, and at the opposite end bya dovetailed tongue, a, on the body iitting in a groove, b, of corresponding form in the cover B. The body is intended to be uncovered by turning the coveron the pivot C, and in order to enable '1t to be turned the cover must rst be moved or slid longitudinally to free the groove b from the tongue a. In order to provide for such longitudinal movement of the cover, I form in it a slot, c, which receives the pin or pivot O through it. In the top or outer side of the cover is formed a recess or depression, d, which receives a cap, D, adapted to turn upon the pin or pivot O, and in the inner side ofthe cap and the adjacent outer face oi' the cover are recesses or countersinks e f, which are here represented as circular. The slot c is in the bottom of the recess or countersink f, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

E designates a disk ot' metal, corresponding l in form to the two recesses or countersinks e f, and adapted to tit loosely in either of them, so that when the two recesses or countersinks are coincident and the box is turned over the disk will drop freely from one into the other ot' said recesses or countersinks.

The outer side ot' the cap D may be divided into numbered spaces, like a dial, as shown in Figs. l and 3, and the recess or countersink e therein be so located that it will be opposite the recess or countersink fwhen the cap is turned or rotated to bring one particular figure to the line g-as, for instance, the figure 4. This is done to simulate a perm utation-lock.

When the box is locked the disk E rests in the recess or countersink j' and bears with its edge against the pin or pivot C, as shown in Figs. l and 2, so as to prevent the cover B from' being moved or slid longitudinally to free the groove b from the tongue a.

To open the box the cap I) must rst be turned to bring the recess or countersink e opposite the recess or countersink j', and the box must then be inverted, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the disk E may drop from the recess or IOD countersink f into the recess or countersink e in the cap D. The cover B is then slid backward to free the groove b from the tongue a, and the box is turned right side up, whereupon the cover may be swung sidewise on the pivot C to uncover the body A.

It will be seen that as' soon as the cap D is turned slightly after receiving the disk E, or the cover is slid backward even slightly, the recesses or countersinks are no longer in coincidence and there is danger of the said disk falling back into the recess or countersink f when the body'is turned right side up. The disk being large enough to more than cover the slot c, it can never fall into the slot and obstruct the manipulation of the cover.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, A B designate respectively the body and cover of the box, and C the pin or pivot connecting them. The body and cover are provided with the tongue a and groove b, and the cover B has the slot c and recess or countersink f, as before described. The cap D is different in form from the cap D, before described, inasmuch as it is of the same outline as the cover, except that it is shorter and forms a diagonal joint, h, with the cover B. The cap D has the recess or countersink e, and when the cap is in the position shown in full lines in Figs. 6 land 7 this recess or countersink c is opposite the recess or countersink f in the cover. The box is then inverted and the disk E falls into the recess e in the cap, and by turning the cap into the position shown in dotted outline in Fig. 6 the disk is carried laterally away from the recess f in the cover. The box is then turned right side up, and the cover then slidv back to free the tongue a, from the groove b, and the box opened by swinging the cover sidewise.

It' desirable, the slot c might be formed in the body instead of in the cover, and if so the recess f would be in the face of the body, which is now the bottom, and the cap D or D would be applied to that side.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. 'lhe combination, in a box, of a body and cover pivoted together and adapted to be unlocked by a longitudinal movement ot' one part on the other, so that the cover may be turned to open the box, one of said parts having a slot which receives the pivot, and having a recess in its outer side containing said s1ot,a cap on the pivot having in its inner face a corresponding recess, and a locking-disk adapted to fit wholly in either recess and bear with its edge against said pivot, substantially as described. I

2. The combination of the box A, thepiv oted and sliding cover B, containing a recess, f, the rotating dial-cap D, having a recess, e, and a locking-piece capable of entering either of said recesses, substantially as herein dcscribed.

3. The combination ofthe box body and cover A B, provided with the tongue and groove a b, and the cover having the recess f and the slot c in said recess, the pivot C, the cap D, applied to the pivot, and having the recess e, and the locking-disk E, al1 substantially as described.

t ED. WV. MERSEREAU. Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, T. J. KEANE. 

